CONSERVATION

The first Fort was built in 1849 made of bamboo and a Nipah roof. However, the Fort was demolished in late 1849, and a new Fort known as Kubu Kanowit was built on the hill facing the Rajang River in 1851. In 1860, another two-storey Fort was rebuilt and named Fort Emma after James Brooke elder sister, Emily Brooke. Fort Emma was fully restored in the 1960s, which involved replacing the wall and repainting significant changes in the Fort appearance. 

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The conservation work on the existing building includes work on the column, floor, staircase, wall, ceiling and roof. Additionally, the existing Crocodile Shed was relocated to a nearby location, and a new toilet building was built.

The conservation work started with the ground floor flooring, columns and stumps, roof, first-floor floorings, staircase and finally, the wall.

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During the conservation work of the ground floor, an archaeological survey was conducted on-site to gather artefacts and to study the historical value of the building. The conservation of the Crocodile Shed was done concurrently with the main building. The new toilet building was built after the completion of the Crocodile Shed.